Return - IOM Publications - International Organization for Migration

Return Migration: Policies and Practices
Social Benefits
Asylum seekers, who do not have their own means of support, may apply for assistance with
accommodation, basic medical care and pocket money in the reception centre. The assistance is
withdrawn if the asylum seeker leaves the centre without permission or notification for a period
of more than three days, or otherwise breaks the rules and regulations.
Fingerprinting
Upon submission of their claims, asylum seekers must undergo an identification procedure,
including fingerprinting (only persons older than 14 years) and photographing. If they refuse to
comply with these measures, their applications will not be processed further. While awaiting
identification, they can be held for up to seven days in specified places at the border or the
airport.
1.4 STATISTICS ON INVOLUNTARY RETURN
TABLE 1
STATISTICS ON INVOLUNTARY RETURN:
EXPULSIONS*
1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000
Migrants Pushed Back from Germany 3,135 4,064 4,848 4,729 2,710 1,976 2,316
Order of Expulsion 1,843 3,199 5,087 5,707 7,955 8,531 9,226
Executed Orders n.a. 1,029 3,167 3,794 n.a. n.a. n.a.
Migrants Crossing Illegally the Polish
Borders
10,907 11,907 10,942 10,109 6,565 5,003 6,201
* Figures supplied by the Polish Ministry of Interior and Administration, Department for Migration and Refugees,
2000.
For the year 2001 to 2002, there are no official statistics on deportation of rejected asylum
seekers available, although it is generally reported that deportation numbers have increased, as
have expulsions.
TABLE 2
NUMBER OF PERSONS TAKEN BACK AND RETURNED UNDER READMISSION AGREEMENTS:
1993-1999*
1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999
Taken Back 2,679 6,882 9,098 12,813 13,075 10,686 9,455
Of those Polish Nationals n.a. 3,696 4,982 7,904 8,274 7,869 7,383
From Germany 2,679 6,621 8,632 8,076 7,664 5,432 4,732
Of those Polish Nationals n.a. 3,469 4,566 3,228 2,931 2,722 2,747
Aliens Returned and Expelled n.a. 1,024 2,144 3,449 5,166 7,079 6,518
* Polish Border Guard Headquarters – Kaczmarczyk, Pawel: Country Report – Poland, Facts on Migratory
Movements.
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